One Day
by ettanoon
Summary: Maybe it was all a dream; the girl who had one day to live, and everything that happened that day. But Prince Syaoran would remember that day forever. The day he made a friend he might have loved; the day she taught him how to live, and the day she died.


Note: Tomoyo is a lot older than Sakura in this fanfiction. Sakura and Syaoran are the same age, and Fujitaka is related to neither of them. I'm sorry if there's any confusion. I just had to switch some characters around to make this story work.

Disclaimer: I don't own Card Captor Sakura. Only CLAMP could create characters as wonderful as Fai and Kurogane... who are not in Card Captor Sakura. -.- But CLAMP did create Card Captor Sakura. And Kurogane and Fai. Who belong to Tsubasa Chronicle. Which includes Sakura and Syaoran. I will shut up now.

* * *

Sakura had only one day to live.

* * *

But that was simply trivial information. One might be more interested in Sakura's fiery personality, or her wonderful talent for singing. True, other children went home to a cozy house after a long and eventful day, while Sakura had to report back to a hospital that reeked of antiseptics. But she had her own adventures, all the same. Sakura clung onto the truth that her story was not a sad one, and she did not need the public's useless pity.

Telling a ten-year-old child when she was going to die did not happen often enough, Sakura decided. In most cases, this information would be kept locked up and hidden, which would only cause complicated emotions as secrets and lies always do. But no one could keep secrets from Sakura. Sakura was the one who hid the secrets, the one who held the key. She knew she was going to die. And that simplified things by far. She had only one choice. To live. Until she died, she would just have to live, just like everybody else.

Sakura was awakened by a tiny voice inside her head. _One more day to live._ Tonight, she would lie down in this same hospital bed and close her eyes, her mind filling with thoughts of sweet dreams and angels crowned with shimmering halos and weightless, feathery wings, knowing she'd never wake up. Sakura's last heartbeat would only be one of countless other heartbeats. Children would still go to school, and adults would go to work. There was no reason for today to be any different. As far as Sakura knew, it might even be a little boring.

It was early morning when Sakura woke. Why sleep your last day away? Most people were still asleep, but many were already out on the streets, filling the town with cheerful noise to wake the rest of the town. The wall clock read six fifteen. Time was ticking. Sakura had to stop dwelling on her thoughts and make an escape out of the hospital. Ever since word spread that Sakura had just a month to live, the nurses loosened their grasp on Sakura, as if she wasn't worth the trouble, because she was going to die anyway. They were smart. It was no use trying to take care of Sakura. Sakura took care of herself.

Sakura slid out of the hospital bed and her bare toes touched the cold tile floor. Clad in only in a white cotton nightgown and a blanket draped around her shoulders like a cloak, Sakura brought her

thin legs over the hospital window sill and was soon walking through the hustle and bustle of downtown, singing soft lilting tunes to herself. The bright, shining sun did not touch Sakura as a chills flushed her being. As the days grew warmer, Sakura grew colder.

Since we were treating today like a normal day, it was only right that Sakura find some breakfast first, to start the day off the right way. The sweet aroma of something similar to apple pie was floating in the air. With only her nose to guide her, Sakura fallowed the deliciously thick aroma of the sweet pastry like a wandering puppy. Sakura eventually found herself staring wistfully at a picnic table where a whole plate of fresh apple tarts sat in plain view. Oh, how perfect it looked. Apart from the fact that Sakura's view was obscured by the long beams of the polished steel gate that stood tall and solitary between Sakura and her dream of a perfect breakfast.

Sakura gazed through the bars of the gate. The picnic table belonged to a picturesque garden, larger than three hospital rooms with lush flowers that sprung up from every corner. It was a dream, alright. Sakura breathed slowly, taking the garden in. Perhaps she'd seen the place in her sleep, or a photograph. Because even though Sakura had never been to this garden before, she'd seen it somewhere. It was familiar; so familiar it was almost frightening.

"Hello! You there!" Sakura blinked her thoughts away and focused on the change of scene she hadn't noticed. Standing in between the charming little picnic table and the intimidating steel gate was a long and gangly boy, though he was probably no older than Sakura. He had messy cow licked brown hair that didn't match his crisp, clean ensemble. His deep bronze eyes cradled a small flame with a strength that rivaled Sakura's.

"What?" Sakura observed the boy curiously.

"Who are you?" The boy asked. The boy seemed to carry no malicious intent, but Sakura knew better than to give herself away so easily.

"Why is that important to you?" Sakura asked. "You can't make me tell you."

"Yes I can." The boy said casually. "I can make anyone do anything I want." Sakura resisted the urge to part her lips in stunned surprise. Who did he think he was? Irritation tugged at the back of her mind and Sakura rolled her eyes. "Good luck getting me to follow orders."

"Don't you know who I am?" The boy asked.

"You didn't know who I am, so why should I know who you are?" This boy was really getting on Sakura's nerves, but she wouldn't part until she put the brat in his place.

The boy ignored Sakura's contempt and said, "I'm Syaoran Li. My father is the King, which makes me the prince. I can do just about anything and everything." Syaoran Li, gangly and strong-looking, looked nothing like the beloved gentle and wise King Fujitaka, and there was also the fact that their last names were different. But somehow Sakura knew the boy didn't lie. It was in his eyes. That and then there was that great looming castle in the background that Sakura guessed should have tipped her off.

"You're a brat, you know that? What do you mean when you say you can do _just_ _about_ anything and everything?" Sakura asked, determined to end up on top by any means. So maybe he was royal. But that only meant he was spoiled and possibly more narcissistic than Sakura already thought he was. "What can't you do?"

"I can't leave this gate." Syaoran said, accompanied with an easygoing shrug.

"You mean you have to stay home all the time?" Sakura asked, her voice rising half an octave in surprise. He claims he can do anything and everything but he can't even leave his own home? Oh that was just _rich_. "Ha! You may think you can do anything and everything, because there's nothing for you to do." Syaoran's ears burned red. He really didn't like being ridiculed.

"My house is really big! There's always lots of stuff to do at home! I have tons of servants that will do anything I tell them to!" His juvenile arguments didn't intimidate Sakura the least bit.

"Even better!" She said gleefully. "Your servants do everything for you! What is there for you to do anyway? Oh dear, I'm afraid you have no life." Sakura brought a hand to her mouth in mock pity. She could practically see the sparks shooting up in Syaoran's eyes. Sakura decided she liked Syaoran. Aside from being fun to anger, he had spirit.

"Stop it! You take that back!" Syaoran shouted, stepping up to glare at Sakura through the metal bars of the gate. Suddenly, the fire died, and Syaoran's cheeks flushed red. "I'm sorry." He said. Sakura cocked her head, letting her auburn locks fall in one direction and examined him, as if seeing him in this angle would reveal something about Syaoran she hadn't seen before. Then she got it.

"As Prince, you're forced to be polite." Sakura said. She turned her head back in its original position. _You've been taught to be infuriatingly polite, yet you still really could use some brushing up in the manners department. _But Sakura's manners weren't any better, so she decided not to verbalize the thought.

Sakura sighed and looked past Syaoran at the picnic table with desperate longing. "Syaoran, I'm starving! Are you really going to be so greedy and not share any of those pastries? I want one." Sakura said, purposely sounding as obnoxious as possible. Syaoran hesitated at first, but he passed a tart through the gate without question.

The tart was flaky, soft, sticky, and sweet_, _and still a little warm. After Sakura ravenously devoured the tart, she met Syaoran's gaze. "Why'd you do that?" She asked.

"What? You were the one who asked me. And I was only being polite." Sakura sighed.

"But I wasn't polite to you. I would have chucked one at your head if you'd said that to me."

"It's called tolerance." Syaoran said. "If everyone retaliated like you, we'd all be at war."

"I suppose." Sakura said. "Um, I wasn't lying when I said I was starving. Could I have another one, please?" Syaoran passed another tart through the gate and Sakura gratefully accepted it. "You just stuck your hand out the gate and nothing happened to you." Sakura pointed out. She took a bite from the second tart, feeling like she was taking a bite out of heaven. "Why don't you just come out?"

"I can't." Syaoran said automatically. He'd been told all his life to stay within the castle gates.

"Yes you can." Sakura said, not accepting his negative answer. "How about a deal? If you come out, I'll tell you my name." Syaoran glanced back at the castle uncertainly, as if asking for permission. Then he looked at the peculiar little girl in front of him, barefoot and dressed in white with a head of auburn hair and bright green eyes. Sakura tapped on the metal gate impatiently.

"There isn't even a proper lock on this thing." Sakura said, flicking her eyes towards the top of the gate. "Just a latch. And I bet you're tall enough to reach it."

After a few moments of contemplation, Syaoran reached up, standing on the tips of his toes, and lifted the metal latch on the gate. He stepped out onto the sidewalk where Sakura shook his hand and offered him a dazzling smile. "My name is Sakura Kinomoto. What's yours?"

"I am Prince Li Syaoran." Syaoran said, accompanying the customary royal greeting with a small bow. Sakura shook her head. "Wrong. As long as you're with me, you're just Syaoran. Welcome to Life, Syaoran."

"Where are we going?" Syaoran asked. The white blanket flapped at their ankles as the two children were huddled inside, for Sakura was in need of some warmth, and being spotted by the public would be quite the inconvenience for little Prince Syaoran.

"Somewhere you've never been, obviously." Sakura replied. "You'll see."

Syaoran watched the world with wide eyes, drinking it all in. He was easily distracted by everything. Sakura constantly had to remind him to stay under the white blanket as he would simply stop in his tracks as a little brown cat that tiptoed by. There were so many people in this country, no two were the same. They passed through the marketplace, where Syaoran's eyes widened at tables of small antiques, fish that hung from stalls on strings dripping with salty water, greasy snacks fried on portable grills, a man selling soft little rabbit-like creatures in cages. Sakura smiled to herself. She'd been excited on her first outing as well.

At last, they stopped at a tall bridge of stone that hung about twelve feet over a vast green river. It was a serene place surrounded by dark evergreen trees. A quiet location, untouched by the public. Sakura turned to look up at Syaoran, who was a good three inches taller than herself. "How do you like it?"

Like a young child running from his mother, Syaoran ran out from under the cover of Sakura's white blanket to drape himself over the edge of the bridge so that he could look down. "It's really big!" Syaoran exclalimed. Sakura's laugh floated through the light atmosphere.

"The bridge or the water?" She asked.

"Everything!" Syaoran replied, in such a surprised way it sounded like he didn't believe what he was seeing. He held himself over the edge of the bridge with his palms resting on the ledge while his feet used small indentations as toeholds. It looked so easy to send Syaoran toppling over the edge. Hm, Syaoran would forgive her for this. A good shove with both hands did the trick.

Without skipping a beat, Sakura dived after Syaoran, clutching her white blanket under her as if it were a magic carpet. Sakura plummeted down like a bullet as the white blanket rippled fiercely in the wind. Syaoran however, was twisting and turning clumsily in midair as he kicked and clawed at the empty air for something, _anything_ to grab onto. Syaoran's terrified screams were drowned out by Sakura's whooping laughter. The wind buffeted Sakura's hair, blowing it away from her face and making her eyes water.

When she was about three feet away from the water, Sakura used her blanket as a parachute, though it did little to retard her fall. The two plunged into the dark green water with a great, big, white splash. They both resurfaced, Sakura laughing like one might laugh at a particularly funny joke, Syaoran looking utterly petrified. Syaoran frantically propelled himself through the water while Sakura swam just below the surface, gliding smoothly to their destination; a river bank lined with smooth gray boulders basking in the sun. Due to Sakura's condition, the spring air felt cold to Sakura even after she'd stayed out enough to adjust slightly. But with the water, Sakura felt like her whole body was enveloped in a cold blue fire.

Sakura stretched the blanket over the hot rocks to let it dry and climbed over to where Syaoran stood on hands and knees, panting. His gaze snapped to Sakura's. If looks could kill, Sakura's last day would have been much shorter.

"YOU FREAK! You psycho, you..." Syaoran bellowed, his voice cracking and hoarse from the screaming and the sudden ambush of cold water to his lungs. "Why'd you push me in? I could have died!" Syaoran said angrily, his spiky hair sticking to his face, chest heaving, a dark pool spreading where water dripped from his hair and clothes and splattered onto the boulders.

"Well it seems you know how to swim. So you obviously wouldn't have died. And I thought it'd be a little more fun with a friend." Sakura said, running her hands along her arms to rub the warmth back in. "That was so much fun. I've always wanted to do that." Sakura herself was trying get herself to breathe normally again, but she was pumped with too much adrenaline.

"You're such a stupid girl! What if I couldn't swim?" Syaoran said furiously.

"Then I would have saved you." Sakura responded resolutely, her bright green eyes staring straight into the Prince's fiery gaze.

Sakura and Syaoran were walking through town again, under the big white blanket. It was still a little damp, but the boulders near the river had heated it up nicely.

"What are you singing?" Syaoran asked, looking down at the little girl by his side. He realized the voice he'd been hearing; cold and sweet, was coming from right beside him.

"I'm singing a song, of course." The reply was typical Sakura, but behind the words, he could hear the subtle change in Sakura's voice that took place whenever she began singing. Her voice floated as if her reply could have been directed to anyone, not just Syaoran. Sakura's eyes seemed to cloud over, and she paid Syaoran no attention, continuing to sing quietly. Syaoran listened, the hauntingly beautiful melody sending chills up his spine, despite the hot weather. They passed through what seemed to be a park, their path lined with tall, looming trees with strong, arcing branches.

The narrow path opened up to a wide clearing. In the middle of the clearing stood a sliver half-moon of a jungle gym next to dinky little playground. It seemed it was once a cheerful place for children to frolic and laugh, but had since then been abandoned.

"What are we going to do here?" Syaoran asked, staring at the glistening metal bars of the playground as if it would come alive and become their new playmate.

"We're gonna climb to the very top, silly!" Sakura said.

"You're not going to push me off, are you?"Syaoran asked, his eyes wide with the sudden realization he might have met someone dangerous. Sakura rolled her eyes and smiled to herself. The poor child.

"Of course not. I intend for you to live as long as you can." She glanced into Syaoran's eyes to confirm his trust in her.

Syaoran followed Sakura exactly as she climbed up the dome shaped jungle gym, using a great amount of concentration, gripping the bars for his life as they scaled the Lilliputian's mountain. At last, they were perched on top of the hollow work of metal, the king and the queen of the barren land.

Sakura stared at the white blanket she'd left hanging on the monkey bars of the forsaken playground. It swayed lightly in the passing breeze. Thin wispy clouds drifted lazily across the blue sky above, making interesting shadow puppets on the ground whenever they passed over the sun.

"How do you like it so far? Outside of home?" Sakura asked quietly, still staring at the ghostly white hospital blanket.

"I guess it's pretty cool." Syaoran said. "But all I got to see are places nobody ever visits. What about the markets? They seem pretty interesting. I'd like to know what the people do, how the people live." A small smile pulled at Sakura's lips.

"You're definitely the future king." She said. "God would have been wrong to give you any other role."

"But that's not for a long time. I'm not smart enough to be king yet. There's so much about this country that I never even knew about." Syaoran looked down through the criss-crossing beams of the jungle gym. Buttercups dotted the grass like little stars.

"I'm glad you've realized." Sakura said. "Someday, you'll be ruling this country. How can you be responsible for the life of all your people if you don't even know the meaning of living?" She spoke as if governing the country often came up in a ten year old's conversation. Syaoran scoffed.

"And you know the meaning of life?"

"Don't put words in my mouth. I said 'meaning of _living.'_ Totally different." Sakura said. Syaoran rolled his eyes. "Why do you live, Syaoran?" Sakura asked curiously.

"You first." Syaoran said, shifting the spotlight. "Are you one of those people who don't feel like you're living until you've risked your life?"

"No. I didn't think I was risking my life when I jumped off that bridge." Sakura said, knowing exactly what Syaoran was subtly hinting at. "It was just something I wanted to do. I knew jumping off the bridge wouldn't be the cause of my death. I know when and how I'm going to die."

"Me too." Syaoran said.

"Oh?" Sakura looked at him in surprise, her eyebrows shooting up.

"I live because I haven't yet grown up." Syaoran said simply, addressing Sakura's previous question. "So I'll be King someday. It means the world is especially open to me. I shouldn't be the one missing out on anything, ever. I should take advantage of that. I'm going to travel through every part of the country before I die. And I'll die when I'm a hundred, having lived a full life. Or at least doing my best to make the lives of my people fuller." Sakura hadn't expected something like that to come out of Syaoran's mouth. Not in a million years. There was more to him than she thought.

"Spoken like a king!" Sakura cheered. Quirking an eyebrow, she looked at Syaoran with an amused smile spread across her lips. "You come from having never even left home, to deciding you're going to travel the country and die at one hundred. Yet I have to know, would you have left the castle without me? What the were you waiting for?"

"Well... until you came along, I truly thought I was living a full life." Syaoran said with an abashed expression on his face, looking quite like the foolish little boy he was. "How about you, Sakura? What's your plan?" What's Sakura's plan? For once, Sakura was nervous to speak, but she trusted Syaoran. Sakura took a moment to carefully form the sentences in her head before she spoke them aloud, but when she opened her mouth, all that came out was:

"I'm going to die tonight." Sakura repeated the words in her head, as if suddenly realizing how simple it was. It was the truth. No turning back, no regrets. Sakura's words hung in the quiet atmosphere. She watched as Syaoran's eyes widened.

"What? That's not a joke." He searched Sakura's face for any hints of humor.

"No, it's not." Sakura was dead serious.

"You... you can't just die like that. It's impossible." Syaoran said.

"It's impossible for me to live any longer. My heart's still beating because of a special pill made by Dr. Yukito. Surely you've heard of him. But it only lasts for thirty days. Today's the thirtieth day. The pill is going to wear off tonight. If it weren't for Dr. Yukito, I would have been dead thirty days ago."

"Yukito's my doctor, too." Syaoran said. "He's really great." Syaoran spoke of someone close to him, someone he truly idolized, but his tone had been stripped of all warmth.

Syaoran gripped the bars of the jungle gym until his knuckles were white. "Why... can't you just have another pill?" Syaoran murmured, staring down through the wild maze of metal. "It's not fair for you to die so soon." Syaoran sounded...scared.

He shrank away from the image of the great King to-be who was to reach out to life, not to let go until he'd reached a hundred years old. Now he was simply a frightened child, afraid of death. Sakura thought she saw tears pricking in the corner of his eyes burning bright eyes. Sakura reached her thin hand out to him, perhaps to comfort him, to wipe away a tear, or to show that she was still living right then. But Sakura quickly thought better of it and turned away awkwardly, allowing Syaoran some privacy. Her own eyes were dry. Sakura stared into the nearby trees. If one looked carefully enough, she could see tiny little green buds that were soon to bloom into pink and white flowers.

"Why didn't you tell me all this before?" Syaoran said, his voice thick with tears.

"There's more to me than my illness." Sakura said. "What would you have done anyway?" Syaoran didn't reply. They both sat silently atop the jungle gym, listening to the birds gossip and the leaves in the trees dance and whistle in the quiet music of the wind.

"I never thought of it as a sad thing." Sakura spoke at last. "So what if I never went to school? Instead of staying in the hospital, I went out and had my own adventures, and Nurse Tomoyo always covered for me so I never got in trouble." _Though she hasn't spoken to me this past month, just like the other nurses._ Sakura didn't include the bitter thought. "I live my life with no regrets. You should too. The time will come when you're gonna say, 'Tommorrow I'll be King.' But for now, just be Syaoran." She slowly began her descent down the jungle gym, Syaoran following close by, Sakura's words still ringing in his ears.

When Sakura's toes touched to soft spongy grass, she asked Syaoran, "Are you going to sneak out again tomorrow?" Syaoran swallowed and nodded, eventually managing to choke out a "Yes."

Sakura smiled warmly and squeezed Syaoran's hand. "Good. Your tomorrow is more important than anyone else's."

The two children were at the market, because Syaoran had said he wanted to see more of it. Sakura pointed out to Syaoran what sort of goods were imported while Syaoran nodded, and in return was able to name exactly where the goods were imported from. Unlike Sakura, he'd been home schooled by the best scholars in the country.

With some pocket change, he was able to purchase a bag of peaches and a fresh loaf of sweet nut bread to share for lunch. They stretched out on the white blanket in a grassy field not too far from the markets, enjoying Syaoran's first proper picnic in the most fortunate weather that was thawing even Sakura's frosty being. Sakura tore a large chunk off of her portion of the bread with her teeth while Syaoran bit into his plump little peach, juice dribbling down his chin where it dripped into the grass and attracted a few ants.

"Has the hospital been doing a good job taking care of you?" Syaoran asked sincerely. Sakura nodded and swallowed her bread.

"Do I look someone who's about to die? Your hospitals do their job fine." Sakura said. "But it doesn't mean I like them." Sakura crinkled her nose. Syaoran shrugged. It was understandable. Syaoran leaned back and looked towards the sky, as Sakura danced lightly through the grass on her toes, humming her melody, her lips moving softly, forming words Syaoran couldn't quite make out. He still couldn't get over the fact that after today, he'd never see this girl again.

"Where to next?" Syaoran asked when nearly all the peaches were devoured and the bloated childrens' stomachs sloshed when they moved.

"Why don't you decide?" Sakura said, licking the sweet and sour juice from her lips and fingers.

"I've never been out before." Syaoran reminded her. "I wouldn't know where to go." With the midday sun overhead, it almost felt like summer weather, and Sakura was finally comfortable.

"Don't you know _anything? _You can't be saying that everything you know comes _only_ from books and gossip? What's wrong with your dad?"

"There's nothing wrong with my dad! My dad is a great king! And a great father!" Syaoran said defensively. He huffed and Sakura rolled her eyes. "I think I know where we could go next." Syaoran said at last, getting over his petty rage. Sakura twirled her hand, signaling for Syaoran to carry on. "How far is it from Clow Bookstore?" Syaoran asked. Sakura clapped her hands together with a great deal of excitement.

"I've never been, but I've seen it before. Why are you interested in a small book shop like that anyway? I thought you had a library at your castle with a copy of every book in it." Sakura said, heaving herself up off the ground and gathering the white blanket into a wrinkled bunch.

"A lot of our books come from Clow." Syaoran said, recalling the special seal of authenticity that was stamped onto the inside of every book that came from Clow. "Plus my library is mainly made up of replicas. Clow has original copies." Sakura shrugged.

"Whatever makes you happy."

~x~

Syaoran left the book shop with an old book wrapped in brown paper for protection. Sakura noticed how Syaoran's eyes lit up when he was around any books. "Why'd you buy a picture book like that anyway?" Sakura asked as they walked, their destination unknown. The book was titled; _Cerberus: Beast of the Seal._ Inside was supposed to contain illustrations of various fantastical creatures and the mystical powers they had. Syaoran had dreamed of owning this book ever since he laid eyes on his library's old and tattered, washed up copy.

"Have you ever played the card game called _Cardcaptor?_" Syaoran asked. Sakura shook her head. Syaoran looked at her in surprise. "Really? It's classic. Cardcaptor is played with special cards, called Clow Cards, because they were originally only sold at Clow's bookstore. Whoever captures all the cards first wins the game. Anyway, this book shows the origins and history of the game. It's based on a magical legend."

Syaoran had torn off the brown paper from _Cerberus_. It was a red leather bound book with intricate gold embossing. Mint condition. There was a gold clasp on one side of book that held it shut. Syaoran tried to undo the clasp, but it wouldn't budge.

"What a waste." Sakura commented. Syaoran shook his head.

"It just hasn't been opened in a long time. I can get my dad to help me with it when I get home."

The children ambled down the street, poking into all the stores, fiddling with the merchandise.

"What an adorable little doll!" Sakura exclaimed, picking up what looked like a little winged lion cub. Syaoran smirked. It was strange seeing Sakura acting like such an ordinary little girl when he knew she was far from that. Sakura looked at Syaoran and smiled back at him. She had gotten him to smirk, which was a type of smile. Syaoran hadn't cracked the slightest of smiles all day, even when his voice sounded happy.

As the children went down the line of shops, Sakura couldn't help trying extra hard to make Syaoran laugh. If there was anything she wanted to do before she died, it was to make Syaoran laugh. They'd visited a confectionery and a pet store, where Sakura placed her head behind a fishbowl and made silly faces at Syaoran, who only looked at Sakura like she'd gone insane.

Next, they'd gone to a costume shop. A bell on the door jingled as the two walked entered the shop. Sakura zeroed in on the lady behind the counter. She was a very beautiful lady with gorgeous flowing black hair and healthily pale skin. Tomoyo. It was Tomoyo. The two stared at each other for moment. Something changed in Tomoyo's eyes, but she didn't let on that she recognized Sakura.

"Oh, you adorable little girl! You must have come for a costume." Tomoyo flounced over to Sakura and grabbed her wrist. "I know just the one!" Tomoyo's eyes contained a dangerous light as she said this. _Oh, great. This is Tomoyo, alright._ Sakura thought sheeply, vaguely trying to make sense of things, wondering if Nurse Tomoyo could possibly have a twin.

Sakura was pushed into a dressing room where Tomoyo shoved a dress into Sakura's arms. She stood, her back facing Sakura, as Sakura changed into the dress. The Tomoyo Sakura knew got dangerous when it came to refusing fashion.

"Owning a costume shop has always been my dream." Tomoyo stated. "For a while, I worked at a hospital. But a little girl I truly cared for passed away." Sakura nodded. She was sure she was talking to the Tomoyo she'd always known. "I didn't handle the death very well. I'd grown very attached to the little girl. She looked a lot like you, you know? I knew then that I wouldn't be able to work another day in the hospital. So I opened this shop. I think it was a very smart move. Now I get to see cute little girls like you in my creations everyday!" Tomoyo turned around to look at Sakura, who had finished changing into the dress. "You're the girl, aren't you?" She asked Sakura quietly.

Sakura's green eyes widened and Tomoyo's sudden accusation. "What?"

"Sakura Kinomoto... You died thirty days ago. I remember." Tomoyo whispered softly.

"No." Sakura said. "I was given a pill. I was allowed thirty more days to live." Sakura brought her voice down to a tiny whisper. "I think Dr. Yukito turned me into a ghost." Sakura stood there, unsure about Tomoyo's reaction. Tomoyo gasped quietly and her eyes welled with tears.

"Then today's your last day." Tomoyo said softly. She knelt down and wrapped her arms around Sakura's cold shoulders. "I never got to say goodbye." She said. Sakura's eyes brimmed with tears as she brought her arms around Tomoyo, breathing in her scent. She smelled like lavender and mint. Sakura had missed Tomoyo. She'd thought Tomoyo had forgotten her, stopped caring about her.

They shared the laugh of two old friends in a bittersweet moment. Then Tomoyo quickly whipped out a compact mirror and battered Sakura's face with powder. "We don't want your little friend to see you red and puffy from crying, do we?" Tomoyo explained. She kissed Sakura's cheek and shoved her through the curtains of the dressing room.

Sakura stumbled out of the dressing room and saw Syaoran, a blush creeping up her face. She smoothed her hands over the wrinkles in the skirt of her dress. Tomoyo came out of the dressing room looking quite proud to see Sakura in her best creation.

Sakura stood there awkwardly, red in the face, clad in a frilly pink and white gown with many layers. These types of dresses weren't her thing. Syaoran's chest began to shake and he opened his mouth, and out came _laughter_! He was laughing at her! Sakura was too annoyed with him to rejoice in the fact that she'd finally gotten him to laugh. Sakura crossed her arms over her chest.

"What?" She demanded. Syaoran had to take deep breaths to calm himself. Once he was calm enough for Sakura to expect him to say something, he burst into another fit of uncharacteristic giggles, clutching his book to his stomach that was beginning to hurt, he laughed so hard.. "The look on your face!" Syaoran said in between guffaws. Sakura huffed and disappeared back behind the dressing room curtain, with an eye-roll that Syaoran was enjoying himself too much to notice.

Sakura and Tomoyo said their last goodbyes, Sakura constantly looking over her shoulder, giving Tomoyo meaningful glances as the children headed out the door.

Sakura and Syaoran had been walking aimlessly down the sidewalk when Syaoran noticed the absence of Sakura's singing. He looked to his side. Sakura was gone. Whirling around, he suddenly met someone totally unexpected, but definitely familiar.

Tall and raven-haired, he looked out of place, even disguised in peasant clothes. His forehead shined with sweat, and his chest rose a little higher with each breath than it usually would. Touya. His guard. He had been running, or maybe he was just that angry. Touya forcefully grabbed Syaoran's upper arm, glaring down at him. "You little brat! What are you trying to pull? The king was worried sick! Everyone's been looking for you!" Syaoran clutched his book and craned his neck in search of Sakura. She must have recognized the face of Syaoran's guard and hid somewhere, or something. That clever, sneaky little girl. "Quit being difficult." Touya snapped. "We're going back to the castle where you can explain why you're outside the castle gates."

"Wait!" Syaoran protested. "Sakura!" He called. "Sakura, come to the castle with us!" Syaoran felt the grip on his arm loosen. Touya stared down at Syaoran, eyes wide and swimming with questions he did not speak. Syaoran had never seen Touya lose his composure like this before.

"What did you just say?" He asked.

"Sakura Kinomoto. She's my friend." Syaoran said. "She's been showing me around all day." Touya took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He closed his eyes and muttered something to himself before grabbing Syaoran's arm again.

"Come on. We're going."

~x~

As soon as Syaoran entered the castle, King Fujitaka rushed over to him and enveloped him in his arms. He kneeled down to Syaoran's height and held his shoulders. "Syaoran, why did you leave? It's dangerous out there, especially when you're the prince, of all people!" Syaoran was the adopted prince, and the King's greatest fear was that his son might be taken away from him.

"I'm sorry." Syaoran said quietly. "I haven't been alone." He pointed out, hoping to reassure his worried father. King Fujitaka raised an eyebrow. "My new friend, Sakura Kinomoto, she wants you to know you've been doing a good job. You've kept the country safe and out of danger. Nobody tried to harm me today."

The king looked surprised. "Oh. Why thank you, son." He exchanged glances with Touya, who stood behind Syaoran. "Why don't you go to your room?" He told Syaoran. "I'll come up to talk to you in a moment. The men waited until they were out of Syaoran's hearing range before they spoke. Even then, they spoke quietly.

"Sakura Kinomoto?" The King said, just barely above a whisper.

Touya nodded stoically, pain showing through in his dark eyes.

~x~

Syaoran had been sitting on his bed, fiddling with the clasp on his new book when there was a knock on his door. He glanced at his door. "Come in." Syaoran was surprised to see the King enter the room, even though he had been informed only fifteen minutes prior. Syaoran's father sat down at the foot of Syaoran's bed, like the typical concerned parent.

"Did you have lunch yet?" He asked Syaoran. Syaoran nodded.

Syaoran's father heaved a great sigh and rested his palms tiredly on his knees, suddenly looking a lot less like the great king people saw him as. For the moment, he was Syaoran's father, no more and no less. "So you decided to go out exploring today."he said casually. Syaoran continued stare down at his book as if his gaze could magically undo the clasp. "Yes." Syaoran said. "Sorry."

"Why did you do it?"

"I... I just wanted to know what it was like outside." Syaoran said lamely.

"Touya says I shouldn't really blame you for wanting to go out after being cooped up all these years." Syaoran was surprised, though his face didn't show it. But Syaoran's father took his silence for surprise anyway. Touya was actually on his side? All these years, when Syaoran got into mischief, Touya had always been the one to catch and punish him. He never failed to inform Syaoran's father of his wrongdoings either. He'd also always called Syaoran a brat. Syaoran didn't like him much for that.

"Frankly, I hadn't noticed you grow up so fast. At your age, it's only natural for you to want to be out and about. I'm sorry for being so strict with you." He paused. "Touya has grown to like you, you know? Even though he may not show it. You're a lot like he was, when he was younger. Touya Kinomoto..." The King sighed in a nostalgic way.

"His last name is Kinomoto?" Syaoran asked. To Syaoran, Touya was always Touya; his personal guard who was strong and brave, but also cold and bossy. "I met a Sakura Kinomoto today." The King nodded. His face then took on a serious expression.

"I once met a Sakura Kinomoto too. She should be around your age."

"Did she have green eyes and reddish hair? Was she short?" Syaoran asked, recalling Sakura's unique features. The king nodded in reply.

"I believe we're speaking of Touya's little sister." Syaoran suddenly realized he knew very little about Touya. He hadn't known his last name, or the fact that he had a little sister. Yet Touya had been Syaoran's guard since the day he was born, and he was willing to fight to his grave for Syaoran if he ever needed to.

"And you say you met this Sakura today? And she showed you around?"

"Yes."

Syaoran's father hesitated slightly before he spoke. "Syaoran... Sakura Kinomoto went to heaven exactly a month ago."

"Then we must not be talking about the same Sakura." Syaoran said.

"We must not, yet there has only ever been one Sakura Kinomoto with reddish hair and green eyes."

"We should find her, then." Syaoran said, surprising his father, and himself as well. "It's still daylight. We can go find her."

"I'm sorry Syaoran, but we can't. Touya and I are sure that Sakura Kinomoto died of an illness exactly thirty days ago, at the hospital."

Syaoran blinked twice and no one knew what to say.

~x~

Thanks to Touya's unexpected support, Syaoran had gotten off without a punishment. But now everyone's eyes were stuck to him like glue. Touya's gaze burned into Syaoran's back most of all. By suppertime, Syaoran could take it no longer. He left the castle for the solitude of the garden. By then, the castle servants had finally smartened up and decided maybe it was better to give a little space to the young prince who laid on the bench of the picnic table, looking pitifully small as he stared up at the colorful sky.

He was sure he'd met Sakura, more sure than anything that he'd met Sakura and she'd taught him what it truly meant to live. She'd even pushed him off a bridge and called him a friend. Never before had Syaoran ever been called a friend. Nor had he been pushed off a bridge before, but that was besides the point. The thing was, Syaoran knew he was right, which made it impossible to think about what his father had told him earlier that day. Syaoran's vision of the darkening sky was blurred by water that pooled in his eyes. Did it make a difference, now that Sakura was going to die anyway? That's right. Sakura was going to sleep knowing she would never wake up.

Syaoran stretched an arm over his eyes. Yes. Meeting Sakura made all the difference. Because she was his only true friend. Syaoran stayed outside for a long time. He watched as night settled in and the stars in heaven flicked their lights on. Was Sakura going to be a star, too?

~x~

How does it feel to know you're going to die so soon? It's not like the storybooks, where you see the light and your own cherished memories flash behind your eyes one last time. When Sakura slipped back into her hospital room, she found that her bed had been made and her white blanket replaced.

~x~

_Are you going to sneak out again tomorrow? _Sakura's voice echoed in his head. Syaoran turned to face the large metal gate. He stared out beyond its long metal bars. "Are you going to sneak out again tomorrow?" Sakura's voice repeated. Syaoran heard it, but he hadn't the energy to question it. He was able to make out Sakura's delicate frame and the hem of her white gown that fell just below her knees, her glowing green eyes, and the thin wisps of auburn hair that swirled and bounced with the slightest movement.

"Yes." Syaoran answered quietly but confidently. Sakura smiled her special smile.

"Good."

~x~

Sakura climbed into bed. No one came with a last goodbye, or maybe they'd come earlier that day while Sakura was out. Had they all forgotten her? Sakura wasn't surprised that Tomoyo hadn't shown up with a last goodbye. She then remembered her encounter with Tomoyo earlier in the day. No, Tomoyo still loved her. Sakura sighed. Still, she wasn't there. Sakura wished that Tomoyo was there to sing to Sakura one last time. It was because of Tomoyo that Sakura loved to sing. Sakura pulled her blanket up close to her chin and shut her eyes. The pill was wearing off, and Sakura was beginning to feel colder and colder, yet she couldn't shiver. _Sweet dreams, Syaoran. For me, you must wake up and live._

The sun rose, as it always did. Somewhere, a child was reluctantly getting ready for school, his father placing a quick goodbye kiss on his wife's cheek as he parted for work. A friendly blob of a woman pushed a wheelbarrow of fresh apples out to the markets. A gangly young fellow was tripping over his feet in a mad dash, a clanging sack of knick knacks over every sort slung over his shoulder, as he hoped to snag one of the shaded stalls before they were taken by the other merchants. Sakura's eyes green eyes flashed open. She blinked. Was this heaven?

~x~

Syaoran informed Touya that he was heading out before he left. Syaoran was surprised at the lack of footsteps following his. Touya was granting Syaoran some freedom. Syaoran looked hesitantly over his shoulder into Touya's dark eyes, and said, "Thank you." Touya grunted in acknowledgment, in a way that meant 'don't make me regret this.' When Syaoran left, the smallest of grins played out across his lips.

Touya walked slowly over to the west side of the garden, where a white angel of stone sat, praying under the dappled shadow of a the small sapling he'd planted thirty days ago. The little tree would soon bear blossoms that shared Sakura's name. Touya knelt down in front of the angel. For a long time, he stayed in the soft tranquility of the garden.

~x~

Fifteen years later, Syaoran was met with the whole town's warm welcome as he arrived home on his horse. The sakura trees had bloomed and soft pink petals fell and swayed gently like rain. It warmed Syaoran's heart to see that his country was so cheerful and beautiful.

"Welcome back, King Syaoran!" The people out to him, tossing fistfuls of flowers.

"How was the King's travels?"

"The King is back! We must celebrate!" Syaoran grinned to his people and waved as he paraded through, followed by the royal guards that had assisted him in his work as he had traveled the country. Ah, how good it felt to be home.

Syaoran's stomach flipped as his horse clip-clopped past the castle. He had visited every district in the country, listening to any complaints people had and doing his best to fix them. He'd repaired buildings that had suffered earthquakes, reformed laws, planted trees, built floodgates, and presented new technology for farmers to use. Seeing his castle made Syaoran as excited as a young child in a toy store. Syaoran had wanted to kick back and relax with a nice, thick pile of books by his side, but it wasn't time. Not yet. There was something he still needed to do in his home town before he could lay back and relax.

Syaoran admired the strong, dark branches of the Sakura trees that arced over his path. Soft pink sakura was swept up in the breeze and drifted to the ground to become one with the earth. Syaoran and his guards dismounted their horses in a large clearing. They were going to clean this place up and make it a place for children to play. Syaoran's men began pulling at weeds and separating vines of ivy that wrapped around the gray beams of an old jungle gym. The citizens, happy to see their beloved king home, joined in the efforts to clean up the park. They planted flowers and trimmed overgrown hedges. It had become less of chore and more of a fun activity for all the citizens to take part in.

The breeze tousled Syaoran's hair and something caught his eye. Syaoran waded through the tall grass and weeds over to the old rusty playground that he had planned to repaint. Draped over the monkey bars was a blanket, thin and white. It swayed lightly in the breeze that carried a song, haunting and familiar. Syaoran reached to the white sheet. His fingers swept through thin air and the song faded.

"Syaoran, you've been working too hard. Let the others finish this." Syaoran turned to see Touya, standing there with his arms crossed. "Go and rest." Touya commanded his own king.

"I will." Syaoran replied. "But first, I'd like to see to something." Touya nodded, and went off to assist others in their efforts to clean up the park. Syaoran turned back the playground, where he saw Sakura precariously perched on the monkey bars, swinging her legs and singing again. Syaoran smiled inwardly. Sakura had always loved singing, and high places. She never made an effort to be careful, either. Sakura gave Syaoran a warm smile, bright green eyes lighting up. Syaoran held his hand out to her. She shook her head, unfurling a pair of feathery white wings, flying freely into the sakura-filled sky.

~x~

Syaoran and Touya rode home on their horses side by side that day. The town was rather empty. Everyone had gone to help out with the big project at the park.

"Eleven years ago, I really did meet your sister." Syaoran said, looking at Touya.

"I believe you." Touya said.

"She called me a brat." Syaoran stated.

"That's my girl." Touya said, chuckling.

"Sakura died thirty days before I met her, didn't she?" Syaoran said. He had done research throughout the years, on the disease that had caused Sakura's death, and he had looked at all her medical files.

"You really are a brat, you know? Delving into touchy subjects like this."

"Oh, no – I didn't mean –" Touya smirked.

"Yes. She died on the second of March." Touya said in a serious tone.

"So... the day I spent with her..."

"Was Sakura's birthday. I suppose I should thank you for being there with her on her birthday."

"It's as I thought, isn't it?" Touya asked. Syaoran raised an eyebrow. "Sakura was a ghost."

Syaoran said thought back to what he saw in the park. "No." He said. The two had stopped at the castle's back gate, where a strong, beautiful cherry blossom tree dominated the west side of the garden. Soft pink petals kissed the breeze, and Syaoran swore he could hear a soft melody floating on top of the air. "Sakura was an angel."

* * *

Err... I don't even know what to think about this story...

Panda Laze proceeds to slam her head on the keyboard.


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